Lady Gaga flays Malaysia gay lyric censorship

FILE - In this file photo taken Wednesday, March 2, 2011, Lady Gaga appears at the end of Thierry Mugler Fall-Winter ready-to-wear 2012 fashion collection presented in Paris. Lady Gaga has urged young Malaysians to protest the censorship of lyrics in her hit song that encourage acceptance of gays. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)
(Francois Mori - AP)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Lady Gaga has urged young Malaysians to protest the censorship of lyrics in her hit song that encourage acceptance of gays.

The Associated Press reported last week that radio stations in Muslim-majority Malaysia were playing edited versions of "Born This Way" that use garble to replace the lyrics: "No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgendered life, I'm on the right track, baby."

Lady Gaga criticized the censorship during a visit Tuesday to Google company headquarters in Mountain View, California.

"What I would say is for all the young people in Malaysia that want those words to be played on the radio, it is your job and it is your duty as young people to have your voices heard," the pop star said in an interview that was posted on YouTube.

"You must do everything that you can if you want to be liberated by your society. You must call, you must not stop, you must protest peaceably," she added.

Broadcasters have said they are being cautious with Lady Gaga's song because Malaysia's government forbids offensive content. They risk fines of up to 50,000 ringgit ($16,000) and other penalties for breaking the rules.

Malaysian gay rights advocates complain that the censorship is part of discrimination they face in everyday life.